The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to modular radius conveyor belts having magnets to prevent vibration between consecutive rows of belt modules.
Side-flexing, or radius, conveyor belts are used to convey articles on a conveying path that includes turns. Modular plastic radius conveyor belts, such as the INTRALOX® Series 2600 SPIRALOX® 1.1 Radius belt manufactured and sold by Intralox, L.L.C. of Harahan, La., U.S.A., are constructed of a series of rows of belt modules linked together end to end at interleaved hinge eyes forming hinge joints. When negotiating a turn, these radius belts collapse at the inside of the turn because the travel path at the edge of belt at the inside of the turn is shorter than the path of the opposite edge at the outside of the turn. Because all the belt tension passes through the outside edge portion of the belt, the outside edge is fully expanded and stretched tight, while the collapsed inside edge is free of tension. Unlike the taut outside edges of the belt rows, the untensioned inside edges are free to move relative to each other in the direction of belt travel. As the inside edges of the rows rub along the inside rail or the side of a drive tower in a spiral conveyor, they tend to stick and release continuously. As they do so, they bump into each other as the belt advances. The bumping causes the belt edges to chatter and the belt to vibrate, which can cause conveyed articles to change their orientations atop the belt. In many applications, product orientation is important. And chatter is annoying.
Thus, there is a need for a conveyor belt that does not vibrate enough to change product orientation. And there is a need to reduce chatter in radius and spiral belts.